Phonics Fun: Adding and Deleting Syllables
- Simone Dahkoul
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
When I work with young learners on their reading journey, one of my favorite skills to teach is syllable manipulation—specifically, how to add and delete syllables in words. It might sound simple, but it’s a powerful tool that helps children build stronger phonological awareness, which is key to becoming confident readers and writers.
🧠 What Is Syllable Manipulation?
Syllables are the natural “beats” in words. For example, the word banana has three syllables: ba-na-na. When I teach children to add or remove syllables, I’m helping them understand how words are made—and giving them the confidence to play with sounds and build new words independently.
✂️ Deleting Syllables
Here’s a fun example I often use:
I’ll say: “Say sunset. Now say it again but don’t say sun.”The child thinks for a moment and replies: “Set!”
Another one might be: “Say pumpkin. Now say it without pump.”The answer: “Kin!”
It’s always a joy to see their eyes light up when they realize they’ve “cracked” the word puzzle. These kinds of activities are great for training listening skills and sound awareness, which directly supports reading and spelling.
➕ Adding Syllables
Adding syllables is just as fun. We might start with:
“Let’s begin with play. What happens when we add ground?”The child proudly says: “Playground!”
Or, “Start with book. Add case. What’s the word?”“Bookcase!”
Activities like these help children learn how compound words are formed—and they love feeling like word-builders!
🧩 Why It Matters
Practicing syllable awareness does more than just build reading skills. It also helps with:
Decoding tricky or unfamiliar words
Spelling by understanding word parts
Confidence in oral language
Grasping the structure and meaning of longer words
Whether I’m supporting a reluctant reader or helping a child who needs an extra challenge, syllable games are one of my go-to tools.
🏠 Try These at Home
If you’d like to support your child at home, here are a few easy, no-prep ideas:
Syllable ChopClap out the syllables in a word and then “chop” one off. What’s left?
Syllable SwitcherooTake a word like pan, add cake, and get pancake!
Mystery Word Game“I’m thinking of a word that starts with star and ends with fish. What is it?” (Starfish!)
Silly Word BuilderCombine two parts to make a nonsense word like ba + zoo = bazoo. Laughter guaranteed!
Download your free activity here:
🧑🏫 At Simone’s Tutoring…
Phonics and fun go hand in hand. I make sure every session is hands-on, personalized, and packed with games and strategies to help your child thrive.
Whether they’re just starting out in FS2 or brushing up on skills in primary school, I tailor each lesson to suit their pace and style.
If you’d like support with your child’s reading skills, I’d love to help! Feel free to get in touch to learn more about my one-on-one or group sessions.
$50
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$50
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